Sengoku period – ページ 9 – 日本200名城バイリンガル (Japan's top 200 castles and ruins)

77.Takamatsu Castle Part1

One of the three greatest sea castles in Japan

Location and History

Chikamasa Ikoma built Castle based on experience

Takamatsu Castle, one of the greatest sea castles in Japan, was located in Sanuki Province which is now Kagawa Prefecture. The name of the prefectural capital, Takamatsu City, actually originates from this castle. Chikamasa Ikoma, who was a warrior in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period, first built the castle. Chikamasa took part in many battles such as those at Nagashino Castle, Ishiyama Honganji Temple (former Osaka Castle), and Bicchu-Takamatsu Castle under the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Chikamasa contributed to the unification of the country by Hideyoshi who gave Chikamasa Sanuki Province in 1587.

The location of the castle

The portrait of Chikamasa Ikoma, owned by Kokenji Temple (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The present Osaka Castle, which was once Ishiyama Honganji Temple

Chikamasa at first used the existing Hiketa Castle, but he decided to build a new castle as his home base. From his experiences, his concerns about the castle were:
・whether it would be able to get naval support during battles.
・whether it would be able to withstand gun attacks.
・whether it would be able to survive a long siege.
In the end, he devised Takamatsu Castle, which was completed in 1590.

Castle surrounded by Sea and Triples Moats

Takamatsu Castle was built facing the Seto Inland Sea to the north, making it possible to ship directly to the sea. The castle was also surrounded by water moats tripled in the other directions, to which the sea supplied water. The main enclosure which had the three-layer main tower was isolated in the inner moat, connecting to the second enclosure with only a wooden bridge called saya-bashi. The third enclosure was next to the second enclosure, which had the gate opening to the sea. The enclosure also had the main hall for the lord of the castle. Such a castle was classified not only as a plain castle, but also a sea castle. It would be impossible for enemies to completely besiege this castle with technology at that time.

The folding screen of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, owned by Kagawa Prefectural Museum (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Matsudaira Clan followed and developed Castle

The Ikoma Clan was allowed to maintain their territory of Sanuki Province for a while by supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600. However, the clan was forcibly moved by the shogunate in 1640 due to their internal strife. After that, the Shogun’s relative, Yorishige Matsudaira was sent to Takamatsu Castle as a replacement for the Ikoma Clan. Though lords were basically not allowed to renovate their castles at that time, he developed and improved Takamatsu Castle by rebuilding the main tower and adding the northern and eastern enclosures. This was because he was also responsible for monitoring non-hereditary feudal lords in Shikoku Island, who might have been against the shogunate.

The old photo of the Main Tower Yorishige rebuilt

Part of the whole illustration of Old Takamatsu Castle, the illustration drawn after Yorishige developed the castle, from the signboard at the site

The Matsudaira Clan governed the castle and the area around as the Takamatsu Domain until the end of the Edo Period. In the peaceful time of the Edo Period, the beautiful view of the castle became a famous attraction for people. A guide book at the time says that the castle looks as if it is a floating castle on the waves from the Seto Inland Sea. The castle has also been said to be one of the three greatest sea castles in Japan.

The miniature model of Takamatsu Castle and the castle town, exhibited by Tamamo Park Museum

To be continued in “Takamatsu Castle Part2”

135.Masuyama Castle Part1

An important mountain castle in Ecchu Province

Location and History

Ecchu Province in Sengoku Period

Masuyama Castle was a large mountain castle which was located in Ecchu Province (what is now modern day Toyama Prefecture). In the first 16th Century, Ecchu Province didn’t have a strong warlord, but was divided between the Jinbo Clan, the Shina Clan, the Ikkoshu Sect and others. The province had the Toyama Plain in the center, which was surrounded by hills in the south, the east and the west. They built a lot of mountain castles on the area of the hills to maintain their territories. Masuyama Castle was called one of the three greatest mountain castles in Ecchu Province followed by Moriyama Castle and Matsukura Castle.

The location of the castle

Masuyama Castle was located on the western edge of the hills sticking out of the Toyama Plain from the south. The Wada-gawa River flowed alongside the edge, so it could be a natural water moat. There were a lot of enclosures on the hill such as the First Enclosure and the Second Enclosure.

The relief map around the castle

The map around the castle

Defensive system of Masuyama Castle

To protect these enclosures, the castle had several defensive systems using natural terrains like ridges, cliffs and valleys. For example, some ridges were cut artificially to look like a trench, called Horikiri. Some cliffs were cut vertically, called Kirigishi. Some valleys were used as the dry moats called Karabori.

A typical defensive system of mountain castles (from the signboard at the site)

The soldiers could also get water from several wells easily in order to survive a long siege. Other castles such as Kameyama Castle were built on the hill next to Masuyama Castle so that they could work closely with each other. Even the castle town was developed on the foot of the mountain castle at its peak.

The imaginary drawing of Masuyama Castle

Kenshin Uesugi attacked it three times

It is uncertain when the castle was first built, but the Jinbo Clan owned the castle in the middle of the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. In 1560, a great warlord by the name of Kenshin Uesugi invaded Ecchu Province and supporting the Shina Clan from Echigo Province (The east of Ecchu Province). The Jinbo Clan was sieged in Masuyama Castle to protect themselves. Kenshin wrote in his letter that Masuyama was an essentially dangerous place and impenetrable with lots of defenders. Kenshin attacked Masuyama Castle three times, and finally captured it in 1576.

上杉謙信肖像画、上杉神社蔵 (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

After Kenshin died in 1578, Narimasa Sassa under the Oda Clan took over Masuyama Castle from the Uesugi Clan in 1581. After that, the Maeda Clan supporting the ruler, Hideyoshi Toyotomi and the Tokugawa Shogunate later owned the castle. Some senior vassals from the Maeda Clan stayed in the castle. That meant Masuyama Castle was always an important castle to rule that area. However, the castle was finally abandoned in 1615 due to the Law of One Castle per Province created by the Tokugawa Shogunate. It was said that a wife of the senior vassal who was called Sho-hime was also a daughter of Toshiie Maeda, the founder of the Maeda Clan who managed the castle around the end of its history.

The portrait of Narimasa Sassa, owned by Toyama Municipal Folk Museum *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)*

The portrait of Toshiie Maeda, the founder of the Maeda Clan, private owned (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Masuyama Castle Part2”

4.Hirosaki Castle Part1

A castle which the Tsugaru Clan built and maintained.

Location and History

Tamenobu Tsugaru built Castle with his independence

Hirosaki Castle was located in what is now Hirosaki City in Aomori Prefecture. The castle was actually the origin of the city since the founder of the Hirosaki Domain, Tamenobu Tsugaru built the castle. His former name was Tamenobu Oura and he was one of the relatives of the Nanbu Clan, the greatest warlord in the northern Tohoku Region in the 16th Century during the Sengoku Period. However, he aimed to be independent from the Nanbu Clan.

The portrait of Tamenobu Tsugaru, owned by Hirosaki Castle Tower *(licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons*)

When the ruler Hideyoshi Toyotomi was processing his unification of Japan, Tamenobu met Hideyoshi in 1590, and succeeded to be approved by Hideyoshi as an independent lord. He took advantage of his freedom, and he changed his family name to Tsugaru. After that, he maintained his territory around Tsugaru District (what is now the western part of Aomori Pref.) to support the Tokugawa Shogunate. Finally, he started to build a new castle in the Tsugaru Plain as his new home base in 1603, called Hirosaki Castle.

The location of the castle

Hirosaki Castle was built on a hill on the plain sandwiched by two rivers, Iwaki-gawa and Tsuchibuchi-gawa. Though Tamenobu unfortunately died soon after the launch of the construction, his son, Nobuhira completed it in 1611.

The portrait of Nobuhira Tsugaru, from the database of Historiographical Institute The University of Tokyo (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Tsuchibuchi-gawa River which flows in the city area now

Combination of Modern and Traditional parts

The castle had the Iwaki-gawa River on the back in the west side, and several enclosures spread towards the north, the east and the south, divided by water moats. The Main Enclosure was the center of the castle having the five-layer Main Tower and the Main Hall for the lord. The enclosure was all surrounded by stone walls, so was the most modernized place in the castle.

The Main Enclosure of Hirosaki Castle from the illustration of Hirosaki Castle in Tsugaru District, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The Western Moat which originates from a branch of Iwaki-gawa River

The Second Enclosure was outside the Main Enclosure in the south and the east, where the halls for the senior vassals were built. The enclosure was surrounded by earthen walls which were the common method for castles in eastern Japan. It also had two gates and three three-story turrets to protect it. The Third Enclosure was the outermost and the largest one is in the castle. It had warriors’ residences and was also surrounded by earthen walls with two gates. One of the gates was the Main Gate in the south. The North Enclosure and the Forth Enclosure were next to the Main Enclosure to protect the north of the castle.

Part of the illustration of Hirosaki Castle in Tsugaru District, in the Edo Period, exhibited by the National Archives of Japan

The earthen walls and moat of the Second Enclosure

Main Tower was rebuilt and Castle survived in Meiji Restoration

In 1627, there was an explosion in the Main Tower caused by lightning and an ignition of gunpowder. There had been no main tower for nearly 200 years, but the Hirosaki Domain was allowed by the Shogunate to renovate a three-story turret as the substitute for the Main Tower in1811. This is the present Main Tower we can see today. In 1868 during the Meiji Restoration, the Boshin War between the New Government and the domains supporting Tokugawa Shogunate in the Tohoku Region happened. Many domains fought with the New Government and defeated. However, the Tsugaru Domain supported the New Government from the beginning. That’s why Hirosaki Castle remained intact.

Tsuguakira Tsugaru, the last lord of the Hirosaki Domain (licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

To be continued in “Hirosaki Castle Part2”